Via Veneto Rome: Hotels, Sites, Map

A long time ago during the Roman Empire the Via Veneto area was inhabited by rich Roman families with luxurious villas. The area once again experienced a brief resurgence of fame and decadance after Italian film director Federico Fellini released his 1960 classic "La Dolce Vita."
The area may not be as famous now as during its heyday but the atmosphere lingers on in the hotels and restaurants. Expect to pay premium rates for your Rome holiday accommodation, but also expect to bathe in luxury and be spoilt rotten.

The area borders the relaxing Borghese gardens. Its focal point and heart is the Via Veneto which winds its way from the Piazza Barberini (with Bernini's Fontana del Tritone) to the Porta Pinciana at the Villa Borghese gardens.

Characteristic of the area are the covered cafes on wide sidewalks (a luxury in Rome) and the beautiful 19th century villas and hotels. A prime example being the US Embassy. This grand palazzo was originally the private residence of the Ludovisi family, the original owners of most of the Via Veneto area.

What to see in the Via Veneto Rome area?

The 'Fontana del tritone' in Piazza Barberini was a Bernini work and was commissioned by Pope Urban Barberini VIII in 1642 to celebrate the completion of his palace - the Palazzo Barberini.

Via delle quattro fontane runs from the Piazza Barberini (the Fontana del Tritone side) towards Via del Quirinale, and where these two roads intersect sits the "Quattro Fontane" - the four fountains.

These four fountains each occupy the corner of one building on the intersection, which also happens to be the highest point of Quirinal hill - also the highest and largest of Rome's 7 hills. The work was commissioned by Pope Sixtus V as part of his massive restoration project of Rome.

The Palazzo Barberini in Via delle Quattro Fontane was originally built for Pope Urban in 1623 (Barberini being the Pope's original name) it now houses paintings from the 13th to 16th century and exhibitions for the National Art Gallery of Rome Italy.

Both Maderno and Bernini worked on Palazzo Barberini which when begun was originally on the outskirts of Rome's city.

Palazzo Barberini is open 09:00 to 19:30 every day except Mondays.

Not to be missed is the beautiful Bernini sculpture, "The ecstacy of St Teresa". You will find it in the Santa Maria della Vittoria church in Via XX Settembre 17

If you're a thrill seeker and into delvings of the macabre kind then it may be worth your while to visit the Santa Maria della Concezione in Via Veneto No. 27. In the crypt beneath the church the bones of thousands of Capuchin friars decorate the walls in a sombre monument to death.

The symbolism is 'our inevitable destiny', 'we are nothing in the greater scheme of things'. A very centering experience and not one you will forget. Opening hours are brief: from 09:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 18:00 because they only run a skeleton crew

Shopping in the Via Veneto Rome area: vini, vidi, VISA.

There are plenty of commercial centers and outlets in the Via Veneto Rome area, certainly enough to keep the average foreigner interested. However, if you fall into the 'shopaholic category' then you had better head off down to the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish steps) area, without further ado!

Getting to and from the Via Veneto Rome area.

The Via Veneto area is well connected with Rome public transport..

Rome Metro: There are 2 Metro stations to choose from (see our street map above of the Via Veneto area):

Piazza Barberini

and Piazza della Repubblica

From Barberini and Repubblica you can either head across the Tevere towards the Vatican City or in the other direction towards the nearby Termini Station. Termini is convenient as you can change Metro lines and then travel to the ancient Roman Colosseum, Circus Maximus or Piramide.
For more information about the Metro see my dedicated page on the Rome Metro.

Rome buses:

From Piazza Barberini you can take the No. 175 Bus to the Colosseum, it passes Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia and the Roman Forum along the way.

Good tip: The 116 Electric bus will take you from Piazza Barberini up Via Veneto and through the Villa Borghese Gardens, and in the other direction it will head down past the Trevi Fountain, Roman Pantheon, Piazza Navona and finally to the front door of the Vatican City before heading back to the Via Veneto Rome area!

Why not hop on there, the Rome tour buses are a great introduction to the city and the easiest way to find your bearings and choose your must-dos for your next lap around.

Note: If you have not heard about it already on my site then the ATAC public transportation in Rome site has a great tool to calculate the quickest route from point A to point B anywhere in Rome (using public transport). When you arrive at the website click on the English language option to the right. Fill in your departure address and arrival address.

Restaurants and nightlife in the Via Veneto area.

For your meals do try to stay away from the tourist areas, and in particular the squares (piazzas), they are notorious for exhorbitant prices and mediocre food - which in Rome constitutes a crime!

The area is known for its restaurants and pavement cafes so it will not be difficult to indulge your waist line. The Via Veneto Rome area is however not known for its Rome nightlife so if you want to paint the town red (or perhaps in Rome it's correct to say "spraypaint the town red") then you need to head down to the Piazza Navona, Campo dè Fiori and Trastevere areas.